It's Out Of Our Hands
by Bluetech
Summary: A period of peace has settled upon the Guardians, and they try to pick up the pieces in the wake of The Blood Dawn. They will soon discover an ancient relic on their shores, and it will lead them to an encounter with something they never knew existed...
1. A Guest On The Shore

**A/N: Yeah, I know, its been a while since I published a GoGH fanfic. I have been really busy with college, plus I have been writing Rio fanfics as well.**

**Anyways, here is the sequel to The Cost Of Victory. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Please review, and feel free to flame!**

**I am taking a break from GoGH stories for awhile, so I apologize.**

**Anyways, I will still be an active writer, and you can read my Rio stories if you want!**

***THE Wolf is out!***

* * *

><p><em>Prologue: In the year following the dreadful day known as The Blood Dawn, the Guardians have nearly recovered from that dark time.<em>

_For a long while now, strange objects have been seen in the skies above the Hoolemere Sea._

_They seem to pose no threat, and the owls have learned to ignore them._

_They do not know those objects belong to a long forgotten species, and that they are searching for a powerful relic._

_When the Guardians find that relic and attempt to uncover its purpose, they will have to decide whether or not to make peace with their new neighbors._

_Will the Guardians have the courage to allow them to save not only themselves, but the entire planet?_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: A Guest On The Shore<strong>

The cool veil of autumn has cascaded over the Southern Kingdoms. In the pale glow from the crescent moon above, thousands of shadowy figures drift lazily from the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, borne from the twisted branches on a gentle wind.

All throughout the tree, the soft sighs of roosting owls can be heard, mixing gently with the soft tune of the wind in the branches. Suddenly, the otherworldly calm of the island, is abruptly destroyed.

It is destroyed by a tremendous _CRACK _and a long, drawn out, grating sound. A new shower of leaves poured from the tree in response, and the ear splitting noise is nearly enough to rattle the Guardians out of their hollows.

The island suddenly bursts into life as hundreds of owls pour from the enormous tree. They gathered at the base, amid the sparse roots, chattering angrily about their disrupted sleep.

Others were still on edge, jumping at the slightest sounds. The king and queen soon arrived, and they appeared just as disturbed by the raucous noise they had heard.

"What was that noise, Your Majesty?"

"Are we under attack again?"

"I was having a pleasant dream until..."

Soren could not even think with the rumble in his ears, though it did seem quieter than before. He realized it was due to his age. He ascended to a projecting root with Pelli right next to him.

He nodded to her, and she split the air with a commanding screech.

"Please, calm down, Guardians! We will figure this out soon enough. Relax yourselves, and we will try to make sense of that strange noise."

It took several moments before the mass of nervous owls managed to still their senses.

Soren drew a deep breath and said, "I assure you, we are not under attack. That noise could not have been created by the tree, either. Even I am confused as to what could have issued such a vile sound. Do any of you have any other explanations?"

A burly Great Horned named Ashton flew up to a lower root and asked, "Do you think it came from one of those flying objects that have been patrolling as of late, Your Majesty?"

Soren looked up and peered deep into the clear, inky black sky. He heard nothing, save for the waves and the wind, that could compare to what he had heard earlier. Many other owls also followed his gaze, but they, too, heard nothing louder than the sounds of nature.

"I don't think it was one of those, Ashton. They normally do not make such pronounced noises, like the one we just heard."

Ashton returned to his spot below, and a Barn Owl called Ross took his place.

Pelli asked warmly, "Your thoughts, Ross?"

"Yes, I, uh, think we should send out scouting parties to see if anything has come to the island. I think they should have a few Barn Owls in them, so they could listen, and maybe a few navigation students as well, Your Majesty."

"I think that is a splendid plan, Ross. Who should we assemble for the teams, dear?"

Soren had to think carefully for several moments.

"I want as many teams as possible to spread out and search the island. Each party should have at least two owls in the Navigation Chaw, and no more than two Barn Owls. You may team up with whoever you choose, as long as you meet the requirements I have set. All of you are to meet back here in no more than half an hour to report what you have found."

"What if we run into trouble, or an emergency, Your Majesty?"

"A wise question, Lydia. I will be searching with my mate over on the west side of the island. Should you encounter anything strange, abandon your search and alert me at once. Glauxspeed, Guardians."

A large number of tight groups of owls lifted off and dispersed in every direction, after a few moments of shuffling and grouping.

Soren turned to his mate and said, "Are you ready, Pelli?"

She shook her head and replied, "I am feeling uneasy, Soren. I think whatever made that Glaux-awful sound is still here..."

"I know Pelli, I am not so calm myself. But we have to discover what it is, nonetheless."

"I know, dear. Let's get going."

Two white forms sprang into flight and peeled off towards the western side of Ga'Hoole.

* * *

><p>Wensel, Lydia, and four other owls were flying over the southern stretch of Ga'Hoole, a dreary, rocky place that was hardly ever visited. Shortly after their departure, after the other groups of owls had faded from view, a thick fog had settled over them.<p>

"I can't see anything, Wensel. I can't find my bearings, either. What about you?"

The thick gray mass acted like a sponge, muffling any potential noise to near nothingness.

"The fog is blocking all the sound, Lydia. Even my superior ears can't hear anything in this fog."

She turned and widened her pale yellow eyes as far as possible. She detected little change in the contrast of her surroundings. It was all just the same murky gray tone.

A small Elf Owl drifted in beside Wensel's port wing.

"Maybe we should turn back, Wensel. What is the point of searching if we can't even _see _or _hear _anything?"

"You might be right, Rita."

As her words curled into the foggy cloud, he managed to detect a subtle change in their tone.

"Rita, say something again."

"Why? Did you not hear me the first time?"

He noticed some of her words echoed in his ear slits, and some did not.

"Hey, guys, be careful."

Lydia answered, "Why, Wensel? Is there something wrong?"

"I think there is something up ahead."

The small contingent of owls drew in closer, their gizzards clenching in fear. Suddenly, a dark, solid shape drifted from the gloom, right in the path of the search team.

"Watch out for that thing! Dodge!"

The owls swerved abruptly, and a loud _clang _was heard. Wensel looked back and saw a dark mass fall down into the fog.

"Oh no! Rita!"

He turned and dove in after her, and the other owls followed suit. He heard his wing beats grow louder, and he pulled up just before striking a hard, rough surface.

"Pull up! There is a surface down here!"

Several other owls skidded painfully on the dark ground, not being able to slow down fast enough.

Wensel trotted through the gloom and found Rita lying at the base of a towering structure. Her eyes were closed, but he noticed her chest still rose steadily.

"Rita, wake up. Are you hurt?"

She came to and began rubbing a sore spot on her wing.

"Ouch! I must have run into that, that, _thing_! What in Glaux's name is it?"

The small band of owls looked up as an errant stream of moonlight glared through the haze. They drooped their beaks in awe as a towering spire glared dimly as the moonlight struck it.

Lydia hesitantly approached it, tapping it with her talon. A familiar clang rang out, causing the owls to shiver slightly.

"It's very cold, and it feels very sturdy, too..."

It seemed to stretch up far above their heads, and it bore several curved shapes along its length. Just then, as the owls turned around, a hearty gust of wind swept across the terrain, carrying away the fog.

They exclaimed, "Where are we?"

Before them, the ground stretched on for several hundred feet. Several more cold shapes arose from the ground, some short, and some tall. But the most alluring formation emerged some distance ahead.

They lofted into a low altitude flight for a closer look. A single long tube erupted from beneath their feet, pointing high into the sky above, towards an unseen target.

A series of large clear cylinders encircled the main tube, and they radiated a faint bluish glow.

Lydia shouted, "Look at how large these things are! I bet you could fit all of us in one of them, and we could still fly around inside it!"

The immense shape dwarfed the owls that explored its base. Wensel noticed a seam that framed the entire structure, and he followed it all the way around. It took him several minutes to return.

"There is a gap between this thing, and the ground we are standing on. I can't get inside though. It's closed tight."

Lydia said, "I think we need to go report this to the monarchs. And besides, Rita is hurt, and we have seen enough already."

The other owls merely nodded and lifted off from the rough ground below.

Lydia stopped briefly to pick up a few fluttering papers strewn across the ground, but she couldn't make out the strange shapes that ran down the pages.

* * *

><p>As they sailed towards the Ga'Hoole Tree, the full extent of the object revealed itself: The front edge of the great form had smashed through a sea stack and slid far up the beach.<p>

It tilted oddly to one side, and a pile of rubble lay strewn next to a large gash in the side of the object. The dark rear edge of the figure stretched out into the sea, blending with the horizon. It appeared, to them, to be nearly as long as the Ga'Hoole Tree was tall.

They spotted a quivering mass below and dove rapidly towards it, noticing the monarchs perched back up on the roots. They lofted to a sturdy root and faced the two Barn Owls. Clearing their throats, they began to speak...

"So, Rita, you say that you were flying through the fog, and you ran into a cold structure. That is how you hurt your wing?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"What did you see when Wensel here awoke you?"

"I saw that whatever we were standing on looked like it kept going for a long time, if you know what I mean."

Soren and Pelli gazed at each other curiously.

Pelli turned back to the Elf Owl and said, "Continue, Rita."

"Me and the others noticed a lot of other tall, cold things ahead. They were all over. But the one in the middle was the biggest."

_Interesting..._Soren thought.

"Can you describe it to us?"

"I will try. There were these clear things that went all the way around it, in a pattern, sort of. They glowed blue, but they were cold, just like the giant metal tube they were attached to..."

She winced as she finished, her wing drooping down by her side.

"Thank you so much, Rita. You have done well. Why don't you run along to the infirmary and get that wing seen about."

She merely nodded, and Lydia assisted her in flight as they glided towards the tree.

"As for the rest of you, I can say you worked hard in your efforts. I hope we can try to understand the object that has landed on our shore. Please try to rest, for the sun is due to rise soon. Feel free to fly out to the structure on the southern shore and observe it. But do not land on it, for any reason. It is still an unknown at this point."

Lydia proceeded to hand Soren the small stack of weathered pages she had found.

"Take these, Your Majesty. I found them blowing around on the surface of that thing, but I do not have a clue as to what the scribbles mean."

"Thank you, Lydia. I have a feeling Otulissa will be able to decipher them."

He dismissed the team of owls before him and yelled, "Good light, Guardians! Sleep peacefully on this bright new day. Let the warm sunshine clear your gizzards and your minds!"

Had the owls of Ga'Hoole not been impressed by Soren's speech and looked up, they may have caught a glimpse of a silver object floating silently far above.

As the large crowd of owls dispersed and threaded into the tree, the rising sun caught the metallic edge of the object, creating a flare of intense light. The object sped towards the southern edge of the sea, zooming off into the southern sky and disappearing from view...


	2. Find The Chandelier!

**Chapter 2: Find The Chandelier!**

Halfway around the globe, outside a bustling military base, a gleaming silver shape touched down on the hard ground. Inscribed on the rim, in black script, were the words: _SEV 021 Slipstream._

A tall, dark skinned figure emerged, and was greeted by a somewhat shorter, blond headed man.

"Are you Major Komarov?"

The taller man looked down at him and replied, "Yes, I am Komarov. You?"

"I am Corporal Pravdin, Sir. I have been assigned as your new flight partner."

"I see. I am headed to the Undersea Prediction Center, Corporal. You should accompany me."

"What for, Sir?"

"Apparently, I have some important business with the Admiral. I am quite anxious to find out what it is..."

The two men trotted into a chilled building and approached two frosted doors. Komarov pushed a small light embedded between them, and the left one slid open.

"You first, Pravdin."

He followed the young man inside and pressed another light, this one embossed with the symbol L12. The door slid shut and they began descending down a reinforced glass tube.

The small elevator suddenly lit up as the tube led them down through the shallow sea. Strange fish swam by, peering at the two men inside, before darting off.

Soon, another metal wall appeared behind them, and the elevator came to a sudden stop. Komarov and his partner exited the tight elevator and began winding their way through the wide maze of hallways.

"Are you sure you know where we are going, Major?"

"I have made this trip many times, Pravdin. Ah, here we are!"

He stopped in front of a heavy steel door with a toothed wheel bolted to the front. A uniformed guard with a handgun strapped to his belt said, "Greetings, Major. Greetings, Corporal."

"Likewise, Roschin."

"The Admiral is expecting you."

He firmly grasped the wheel, gave it a few steady turns, and pulled the steel door open. The two men entered slowly and sat down in the two chairs at the end of a long table.

The door locked shut behind them, and they noticed a gray haired man sitting across from them.

"Welcome, Major Komarov. I see you have found your new partner."

"Yes, Admiral Baskov, I have."

"Well, let's get down to business, gentlemen."

He stood up and walked over to the rear wall behind them. Pushing a button, he walked back to his chair. Metal screens began sliding down over the windows, slowly blocking out the view of the sea outside and darkening the room. A few lamps then turned on above the long table.

Baskov pulled a small stack of laminated photos from a drawer in the desk. He slid them across the table, and they skidded to a stop in front of the two men.

"Tell me, Major, what do you see before you?"

Komarov lifted the black and white photo closer to his eyes. It was a spray of fuzzy dots, but in the center, one dot was larger and brighter than the others. In the lower corner, he noticed several figures and coordinates.

He flipped through the remaining photos and saw that the coordinates had changed between each picture. The central dot also grew more defined, and it resembled a misshapen stone.

"What is this, Admiral? I do not understand..."

"That is a series of snapshots regarding a foreign celestial body, Major. It has been designated as _FKPO-2174-Bornholm._ Or, as I have called it, Boris..."

The short young man shifted uncomfortably in his seat and said, "Do you mean this is an...asteroid, Sir?"

"Precisely, Corporal, precisely. It turns out that the scientists here have estimated its impact will occur in 6 months, if not less. It is also predicted to break up upon entry into our atmosphere, due to its unstable composition."

"Well, what is going to be done about it, Admiral?"

He pulled his chair around and moved within leg reach of the two men. "That is where you come in, Komarov. Do you recognize the designation _DME 1-6-2100-CR1_?"

"If I am correct, that is the official name for the Chandelier, Sir."

"Good, good. Can you tell me what that is, Major?"

He sat in deep thought for several moments before replying, "The Chandelier is the control ship for our fleet of advanced warships, each of which is capable of engaging targets over 5000 miles away. It was sent out on a recon mission in 2164, and it did not return. Ever since it disappeared, the rest of the fleet has been collecting dust at our other naval bases."

"Correct. You certainly have a good memory, Komarov. I am tasking you with finding that vessel."

"B-but Sir, the Emmerian Navy has been searching for the last ten years, and they still have not found it! What am I to do?"

The grizzled man peered deep into Komarov's eyes.

"The safety of our entire planet is at stake, Komarov! Do you not get it? You _will_ find the location of the Chandelier, and you have _two weeks _to do it. Prepare to leave on a scouting mission immediately. I will provide a global map for navigation purposes. Any further questions, Major?"

Both men were too stunned and angry to say anything in response.

"Good. You may leave now, gentlemen. Good luck..."

The two men shambled to the door, maps in hand, and pried it open. Komarov heard a serious voice come from behind, before the door slammed shut.

"Fail me, Major, and I will remove you permanently from the Emmerian Navy. I will see to it that you are publicly humiliated, in front of the entire continent, when Boris strikes Earth..."

High above the military base, in the lovely morning sky, a large silver object tore through the air.

"Are you reading the map, Pravdin? How close are we to the Azure Sea?"

Pravdin could barely read the map as it moved about in his hands. The extreme velocity of the craft created equally extreme turbulence, despite its narrow shape.

"Uh, we should be over it in less than thirty minutes, Sir!"

"Can you see any unexplored places on the map? Look for any gray areas!"

He scanned the region of the Azure Sea, and he noticed a small patch near the center of the blue expanse. "I can see one, Komarov, but I don't think there is anything there!"

"Where is it?"

"It is near the center of the Azure Sea, located at 48 degrees West, and 29 degrees North!"

"Thank you for the coordinates. I entered them into the control interface and put it on auto-pilot."

He climbed from the forward seat and sat down next to Pravdin.

"But why has it not been explored yet, Komarov? I heard that there is always fog throughout that whole area, and no one bothered to go inside it..."

"That is the last place in the continent of Australis that has not been explored, and that is our only choice!"

"But what if it just part of the Azure Sea? What if we don't find anything?"

"Then we will just have to sit back and watch the fireworks, Corporal..."

A series of chirps and beeps streamed from the nose of the craft. He jumped back into the pilot's seat placed both hands on the control interface. The day had shifted to full night during their trek across the globe.

"We are above the target coordinates, Corporal. Hold on, because we are going down fast!"

He tilted the craft nearly nose down, the inky blackness of the vast sea below seeming to swallow them up.

The craft picked up speed, heading directly for a huge swath of fog that hovered below. The frame of the ship began to rumble as they pierced the mass of fog.

He slowed down harshly as the altitude reading plummeted to 500 feet. The exhaust from the vents below the ship chased away the smothering mist around them.

As they slowly descended, the most massive structure they had witnessed emerged ahead of them. An enormous tree towered into the sky, the myriad of branches scraping the starry sky.

Komarov checked the altitude meter once again, and it was falling past 480 feet. The craft was just below the crown of the tree at this height, and they marveled at the immense trunk as they followed its length far below.

"I think we have found something extraordinary, Major. I think we should try to get some scientists to come study this!"

"That may be true, but first, we need to find the Chandelier."

They turned away from the tree and faced out towards the swath of dark ocean before them.

Pravdin exclaimed, "Look down there! I see something!"

The Major dropped down to the shore and hovered at 100 feet. Ahead, half buried in the beach, lay the object of their salvation. Komarov gasped as he took in the signal towers and control room that jutted from the deck of The Chandelier.

"There it is, Corporal. We have found it! Those fools should have explored the fog years ago! We need to go inspect it!"

They lowered the craft onto the tar covered deck and began walking around. They marveled at the towering signal masts that still held their black coats of paint. Komarov led Pravdin over to the centerpiece of the ship.

He laid his hand on the cold base of the large metal tube. "Here it is, Corporal. The XM-134K Electromagnetic Launcher, the pride and joy of the Emmerian Navy. This cannon can launch a 1000 ton slug at 20% of light speed, Pravdin. Do you know what that means?"

"Uh, does it mean that it can destroy the asteroid before it hits?"

"Exactly, Corporal. Exactly! Let's go check the inside of the ship for any damage."

They had to search for a partially closed door to enter the hull, since the ship was without power. They did a quick sweep of the inside, and they soon grew worried about the extensive damage that they found.

They realized it was caused by all of the lonely years that it spent adrift and empty. In addition, the found not a trace of the soldiers that had roamed the very same halls, ten years prior.

They returned to the surface and assessed the condition of the vessel.

"Well, structural flaws aside, it looks like the only major problem we have is the tear in the bow of the ship. I think the fusion reactors are still functional, they just need some repairs."

"What about the cannon?"

"We can't fire it until we can get the reactors and control room back online. We need to go report this to the Admiral. We will figure this mess out over there."

As Komarov climbed back into the aircraft, Pravdin paused and peeled some scraps of parchment from his legs. He could not make out the lovely symbols that curled across the page, so he folded them carefully and boarded the silver hulk.

The jet rose into the air with a low humming noise, and blasted off like a missile, heading on a northern track, back to the other side of the planet, with their glorious news.


	3. The Restoration

**Chapter 3:The Restoration**

One month later, the battered Chandelier was bustling with hundreds of people, milling about both above and below.

The Admiral was talking with his two new favorite soldiers inside the dusty control tower. He laid the repair list out on the table, next to the scribbled pieces of paper Pravdin had found.

"So, the main goal is to have this ship back on line in no more than two months, Major. I have assembled the top structural engineers, reactor specialists, and shipbuilders from our nation to meet that are to collaborate regularly to ensure that the repairs stay on schedule, and are of utmost quality."

"Yes, Sir."

"Now about these papers you found. Our archaeologists have attempted to decipher them, and they believe they were written by another species. I find it hard to believe that we are not the only ones inhabiting this planet."

"Indeed, Admiral. However, I believe I have a clue as to where these came from."

"And where would that be, Komarov?"

"Just before I discovered this ship, I came across the largest tree in existence, hidden in the fog you see out there. I think that an ancient race of creatures lives there. However, I did not explore the tree, since my mission was to find the Chandelier."

"I see. After we avert the threat from Bornholm in five months, I will advise some of our explorers to come and investigate that island. I do not think they will find anything of value, however."

"Thank you, Admiral Baskov."

"I will return in two months' time, Corporal Pravdin. Make sure that the ship is ready to be moved by then. I have to return to prepare the rest of the DME fleet. Good day, gentlemen."

The two partners watched from the control tower as Baskov was led to a waiting Slipstream aircraft. The jet disappeared into the dawn sky to the north.

They filed from the large instrument filled room and began patrolling the ship. Workers were busy polishing radar dishes and inspecting the communication masts.

A large group was huddled around the main cannon and running structural tests, as well as greasing the surfaces of the gears that controlled it.

Down below, the inside of the ship had become a miniature city. Racks of supplies and tools were being ferried about. People in all sorts of uniforms were shouting directions to their team mates, or busy holding instructions up for each other.

The middle of the ship consisted of the huge gallery that housed the control frame for the cannon, along with the huge clusters of electrical wires and support beams.

Several large passageways ran the length of the ship from this large space, leading to the myriad of other rooms throughout the hull.

Makeshift lights were strung along the ceiling of the massive gallery, providing just enough light to work by, and no more. Sparks spouted from the walls and ceiling down the length of the room, accompanied by the crackling sound of dozens of welding torches.

The large system of gears that served to orient the cannon was being welded and greased, and several people were hunched over the thick serpentine cables leading to and from the cannon.

The supervisor approached the two soldiers, and he had to shout to be heard over the constant echoing noise. "Everything is going as planned, Sir. The structural work is going well, and the cannon should be back to firing condition in about a month."

"That's what I like to hear, Supervisor. Keep it up! We are going to check on the reactor status now!"

The Supervisor turned and walked back into the fray, while Komarov and his partner trotted to a large hall. A small sign bolted to the wall listed the separate rooms that could be found.

It read: Yo_u are entering the_ a_ft section of the Chandelier. Left Hall:Dining Quarters. Right Hall:Supply/Ammo Storage. Lower Hall: Engine Room. Proceed with caution._

"I guess we need to go down the lower hall."

They set off down the dim metal walkway, having to slide past other workers and scientists headed back towards the front of the ship. A loud noise could be heard ahead, and it seemed to be emanating from behind a thick lead door.

Komarov knocked a few times and it slid open, allowing them inside. It was sealed shut behind them, and a team of confident people dressed in white coats were standing in front of the four imposing reactors.

Every so often, one would dash to a bank of makeshift computers, enter some data, and rush back to his colleagues.

He approached a rather studious woman and tapped her on the shoulder.

"How is the reactor diagnosis going?"

"Oh, hello Sir. You are?"

"Please forgive me. I am Major Komarov, and this is my partner, Corporal Pravdin. We are the supervisors of the repair work going on here."

"I see. Well, the reactors still have fuel left, but we are not sure if the time they spent shutdown has degraded that fuel."

"What is the remedy to the situation?"

"We need to have four new fuel containers brought here to replace the fuel already in the reactors."

"So, you are saying that the reactors will not operate?"

"We have been trying to start them up, but with little success."

She turned to a blond haired man in front of the computer bank and shouted, "Hey, Bohr, try to spin up the reactors again!"

They watched as he clicked a few keys on the computer and stared at the screens. A reverberating rumble shook the entire room, and cascades of dust rained from the arched roof high above.

The rumble grew to a roar that lasted for a few seconds, and the room suddenly brightened from the surge of energy to the lights. However, the roar faded away, and frustrated silence filled the now dim room.

"How long will it take for the fuel to be replaced?"

"A day, at most, Sir. The real problem is getting it to the ship first."

"Hmmm, this is an unfortunate situation. I will have to contact the Admiral as soon as possible. Thank you for your report."

They turned and exited the engine room, slowly making their way back up to the control room on the deck. He entered the room with Pravdin in tow, and picked up a phone mounted on the wall.

As it rang, he flopped down into the chair and rubbed his aching forehead. A gruff voice answered, "Hello?"

"Admiral Baskov, this is Major Komarov. I have some news to report."

"Ah, hello Major. What is your report?"

"The remodeling of the gallery and the cannon itself are going very well. However, the condition of the reactors is...depressing, Sir."

"Well, that simply will not do, Major. What is the problem?"

"The reactors need a fresh supply of fuel."

"Oh, do they now? I thought it was much more complicated than that. I can send in an application to the Energy Headquarters. How many do you need?"

"Four canisters of fusion grade hydrogen for Model 2130B reactors, Sir."

"Excellent! I will have the fuel delivered within one month, Major. Keep the repairs going. Bornholm will not wait for you to be ready..."

Komarov heard a soft click, and returned the phone to the wall mount.

"It looks like the reactor problem will not be an obstacle now, Corporal. The fuel will arrive within a short month, and I hope the ship will be ready to move by then."

"That is indeed good news! I worried that we would not be able to power the ship up in time!"

Komarov gazed down at the messy table and picked up the shriveled sheets of paper.

"Can you bring in the researchers to explain the meaning of this nonsense, Pravdin?"

"Sure, Komarov!"

He returned shortly with the small team in tow, and they began to explain the symbols and meanings of the writing that crisscrossed the worn pages.

_ I have a feeling whoever created these documents are not, in the least, like us. I think they are a civilization that has been living in that tree for ages, and we never knew..._


	4. The Others Exist!

**Chapter 4: The Others Exist!**

Soren had waited until the next day to bring the papers to Otulissa. He needed a long rest to still his jumpy nerves. The instant the cloak of night cascaded upon the island, he took the documents straight to her hollow.

He alighted on a branch outside the hollow, tapping softly on the rim.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Soren. I have something for you! It is urgent!"

The Spotted Owl stuck her head out and gazed at him with her remaining eye.

"Okay, okay! Come in."

Soren dropped down into the cozy hollow and laid the papers out on the floor. She stood staring at them, and Cleve walked up beside her.

"What is this, Otulissa?"

"These are papers that Lydia found on that strange thing that is caught on the shore. Soren wants me to try and decipher them."

She sat silently, raking her gaze across the pages, over and over.

Soren caught Cleve's gaze and merely shrugged.

She soon collected the stack and moved them to a small stand in the corner. She then began trotting over to the exit port.

"Where are you going, dear?"

"I need to go get some books from the library. I think they will help me extrapolate the convoluted linguistics that are scrawled on those papers. Actually, I may need you to help me carry some books, Cleve."

She lofted out into the fresh night air, and Cleve followed.

Soren wandered over to the shelf with the writing stacks.

"What does this all mean? Why was it on that strange wreck in the first place?"

He stood in front of the foreign text, thinking deeply.

Just then, two Spotted Owls re-entered the hollow. They carried a few books in their talons, struggling to lift the added weight.

They set them gently down in a small stack next to Soren.

"Excuse me, but I need my spot back, Soren."

He backed away from the stand and watched Otulissa separate the books out beside her. He and Cleve watched diligently as she read a little of the sheet, glanced at a book, then back at the sheet.

Cleve whispered to Soren, "Do you think she can figure it out?"

"I don't know, Cleve. She is probably the most intuitive owl here, so I think she has a decent chance."

She moved one scroll aside and turned to them.

"From what I can make out so far, I think this was written by an Other. Maybe several of them, even. I need to do some more studying before I can tell you what they might be saying."

Soren replied, "Oh. Well, at least you figured out _who _wrote it. How long will it be?"

"It will take some time, Soren. I think you should go and pass the time with your mate and chicks. I will call you back here at First Light, if not before, and tell you what else I have translated."

"Okay, Otulissa. I will wait for you. I will be in my hollow, so alert me when you are ready."

He clambered out of the hollow and glided down to the hollow he shared with Pelli, inside the base of the trunk.

"I am going to read over here, if you don't mind."

"Go ahead, Cleve. I will grab you if I find out anything new."

He retreated into his corner of the hollow and took up a book he had left open. He lost himself in the tome while his mate pored and pored over the jumbled writing. The night slowly slipped by outside, and Cleve fell asleep upon the open book. He found himself in a wonderful dream, but that dream ended suddenly when he was shaken awake by his mate.

"Cleve! Cleve! Get up! You won't believe what I learned... "

"Wha-what? Otulissa? Is that you?"

"Of course it's me! It sure isn't Nyra!"

"Okay, okay, I am awake. What is it?"

He stretched to try and chase away the weariness that choked him.

"We must go tell Soren! Let's hurry. He and Pelli are probably awake by now!"

She grabbed the worn stack of papers and exploded from the hollow.

_I should be sleeping right now. This had better be worth keeping me up during the day. I am not a crow!_

He flew lazily in Otulissa's wake, and he entered the hollow were Soren and his mate lived. Otulissa was already there, and she was shivering visibly.

The Three B's were shocked, and Erik and Samuel were staring at her with their huge coal black eyes.

Pelli exclaimed, "My Glaux, Otulissa! Are you okay?"

"No, Pelli. I am afraid to say I am not. Let me sp-spread these out."

She moved to the center of the hollow and arranged the few sheets in a loose semicircle before her. "Okay, there. Now, listen closely."

They all leaned in closer to her. "First of all, I have profound evidence that this writing belongs to The Others. That, in itself, is not why I am so worked up."

She pointed to the next sheet in the line.

"This one seems to say something about that the Others on board their 'ship' are disappearing. The words are spread out randomly, so I guess they were very scared. As such, I think they wrote these before they all vanished from their 'ship,' whatever that is."

Pelli had a strange feeling in her gizzard, and she mentally drew a conclusion.

"Wait, they found these on that thing over on the beach right? Then I think that is what that big wreck is! It's their ship!"

Otulissa was impressed by Pelli's intuition.

"You are right, Pelli! Good job! I did not even think about that. That must be why it crashed. There was no one there to watch over it!"

Pelli turned to her mate and smiled, and he stroked her gently with a wing.

"Now, this paper is a bit more vague. Some of the letters are worn, and I couldn't make them out. What they say will shock you all."

She tried her best to steady her nerves, and she began reciting the letter.

"We are...lost. Chandelier...sky...incoming. 6 months...meteor. Fog...everyone gone...island. Tree...target...destroy...only hope..."

A stunned silence fell upon the owls, and their gizzards began to shake.

"What does it mean, Otulissa? I don't understand..."

"It means, Pelli, that the Others knew we were here. They mentioned the fog that resides around Ga'Hoole. They also mentioned an island, and a tree. They are talking about us. But I have no clue what a 'meteor' is."

"B-but, how? And why would they come here?"

"I don't know how, Pelli. But I think I know why: That ship is called the Chandelier, apparently, and they say something is incoming, and they say 6 months. I guess that is how long they have to wait."

Bell scooted in between her Mum and Da and asked, "Wait for what?"

"They knew about us. They say that the tree is their target, and that they have to destroy it. They claim it is their only hope..."

Soren cried, "They are going to...to...destroy Ga'Hoole, in 6 moons!"

"I b-believe so, Soren. I never could have imagined that this, this tragedy, would occur. It makes me sick in the gizzard..."

Pelli was sobbing as she buried herself in Soren's feathers.

"What are we going to do, dear? What in Glaux's name can we do?"

He stroked her softly and tried to comfort her, but sadly, he had no answer.

Otulissa spoke instead.

"There is nothing we _can_do. It's out of our hands. The least we can do is tell the others, and prepare for when they come..."

The despair was thick in Soren's hollow, and he had to keep himself from going yeep.

"What now, Soren?"

"I feel Otulissa is right, Cleve. We have to tell the rest of the Guardians. Could you alert the Parliament, and gather the Guardians in the Great Hollow?"

"Y-yes Sir, right away."

"I will go with you, Cleve. I am going to take these papers with me as well."

"Go on, you two. I will meet the both of you shortly."

"Okay, S-Soren. We will be waiting."

The two Spotted Owls flew languidly from the hollow.

"Is everything okay, Da?"

Soren walked over to the edge of the hollow and paused.

"No, everything is not okay, my dear owlets. Blythe, Bash, Bell, watch over them until we return."

He flew out of the hollow, and his mate soon followed, one final tear plopping to the floor as she glanced at her children.

By the time he arrived in the Great Hollow, many of the Guardians were already gathered. The mood in the large space morphed rapidly from one of curiosity, to one of shock, to one of hopelessness as Otulissa reported her disastrous findings.

However, during the announcement, the Navigation Chaw stopped Otulissa after she reported the line about the "meteor."

Rita stepped forward and said, "We have seen a strange new star in the sky, just below the Golden Talons. It seems to get brighter after each passing night. Maybe that has something to do with it."

Otulissa replied, "You may be right, Rita. I think that whatever that 'meteor' is, it must be responsible for what you are seeing. It must be headed for the Southern Kingdoms. I guess we will wait and see what the Others will do about it."

Soren nodded at her slowly and turned back to the shaking owls before him.

"And so you see, fellow Guardians, this is most likely the last period of the Great Tree's existence. The Others are coming in a few moons time, as well as that strange star in the sky. I feel they will use that ship to lay waste to Ga'Hoole, either before or after that star arrives in the Southern Kingdoms. This is a situation that even Glaux is powerless to prevent. I have no words to describe how I feel, and I am sure my mate feels the same. We must cherish the moons we have left, and that is all we are able to do..."


	5. The Resurrection

**Chapter 5: The Resurrection**

The mood of the Great Tree was one of despair and loss during the following moons. They had witnessed small craft arriving daily at the wrecked ship, and soon after, it was overrun with Others. The dull cacophony of sounds that began streaming from it made life even harder for them, for sleep was very difficult.

One dreary late autumn night, the owls noticed a sudden quiet below them. They began to nervously gather in the branches and hollows of the tree that faced the dark form on the beach below.

The Chaw Of Chaws, as well as Pelli and her five children, were sitting on the rim of the late Ezylryb's hollow, gazing down at the ship below.

"What is happening, Soren?"

"I don't know Ruby, I don't know..."

Several minutes of eerie silence passed, and as they looked up into the clear sky, the mysterious star above seemed brighter than ever, almost outshining the nearby Golden Talons.

Just then, a bone rattling vibration issued from the beach below.

Martin whispered, "Something is going on inside that ship. It looked pretty bad when the Navigation Chaw found it. I think the Others have fixed it."

As if in response, the hum grew louder, and a blinding glare erupted from the steel hulk below. The Great Tree, now a mass of leafless branches, appeared like a skeleton in the night.

As their eyes adjusted to the stream of white light, the ship sprang into incredible detail. Several tall steel spires were responsible for the glare, casting long, clear shadows onto the beach from the buildings that dotted the deck.

However, one shadow was longer than the rest, and it projected from the massive metal rod that stretched into the sky like a lone sentry.

"What is that enormous tube? It looks important!"

"I think that we will soon find out, Blythe. Very soon..."

A loud screeching noise was heard, and the massive projection began slowly rising even higher above the pale deck. It stopped with a loud _thud_, and a box-like shape was nestled below the large lower end of the tube.

A loud, repetitive clanking followed, and the great tube started to tilt upwards, briefly stopping to point straight up at the heavens. Soon, it began moving downwards again, and now the narrow end was aimed directly at the Great Tree.

Soren brought Pelli closer to his side and muttered, "I think...this is it. They are going to attack us with whatever is meant to come out of that _thing_. I can't believe it has come to this..."

He, along with the entire mass of owls at the tree suddenly seized with terror as they awaited the wrath of the Others. Oddly, nothing materialized from the end of the strange tube, and over the course of a few agonizing minutes, it revolved back to its former position, pointing out at the sky above the glittering Hoolemere Sea ahead.

A group of vehicles filed out from a slot in the side of the ship and moved out in front, lining themselves up on either side of the v-shaped hull. A rushing sound was heard, and the pale sea at the rear of the ship began foaming and spraying visibly into the pale light.

The vehicles down below began throwing streams of sand out behind them, and a steady churring noise accompanied them. The massive ship began to scrape its way down the sand, the vehicles moving along with it.

Finally, the front of the ship sank beneath the water, leaving the vehicles behind, and it proceeded to swing the formerly beached side out to sea.

Ruby exclaimed, "Oh my Glaux, it's leaving! It didn't destroy us! We're saved!"

The tree erupted into a drone of joyous hoots and shouts as the brightly lit hulk began moving off into the sea. Another flash occurred out over the sea, cutting off the Guardians' celebration.

They looked up to see that a defined cluster of flashing points now dazzled the sky below the Golden Talons, blotting out their light.

"Oh, no! The star broke up somehow! It looks like those lights are getting close!"

"Wait, look at the ship. It stopped moving! Now it's coming back towards us!"

The ship began steadily reversing towards the island, the deep humming noise growing louder and louder. The ship neared the shore and stopped once again, and the large tube appeared to aim at one of the flashing points above...

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, down below, Komarov was awaiting the power up of the Chandelier. He had recently watched the installation of the four new fusion containers into the reactors. He sat in the office above the deck, speaking to the head reactor scientist through his walkie talkie.<p>

"Commence the resurrection of the Chandelier. One, two, three!"

A familiar hum vibrated his body, and the entire deck of the ship was now bathed in light.

"Reactors 1-4 are fully functional and operating at full capacity, Sir."

He clicked the button on the plastic device and replied, "Well done, Sasha. You have brought her back to life, after so many dark years. I salute you."

"You are most welcome, Major. I salute you likewise."

The device fell silent and he sprang into action. He sauntered over to the glowing bank of neon green interfaces that lined the sides of the control room. He found the cannon controls and tapped the array of screens.

The cannon rose above the deck to its firing position, which brought its reloading and recoil assembly out of the gallery below. He then proceeded to move the cannon through its full range of firing angles, pointing it out to sea, and then pointing it in the direction of the looming tree before him.

_So beautiful, so majestic. Those strange creatures that call themselves owls surely know how to take care of themselves. They must have left those papers here to try and make contact with whoever owned this ship. I am in awe of their technology and history, and I will do all I can to protect them from Bornholm..._

As this decree raced in his head, he aimed the cannon back out to sea, also opting to elevate it into the sky. He switched the channel on the walkie talkie and intoned, "Shoveler team, get into your positions. Prepare to move the Chandelier from the beach."

"Yes, Sir!"

He heard the faint rumbling of the vehicles' motors as they moved out onto the sand.

He clicked the channel modulator once again and said, "Propeller crew, are the shafts and blades ready to operate?"

A gruff voice replied, "Yes, Komarov. They are fully repaired and oiled. They are ready to serve their purpose once more."

"That is good news, Ivan. I am engaging reverse thrust now."

He set the device down on the table and moved over to the glowing bank of neon green interface once again. He deftly navigated the holographic controls and highlighted: **Full Power, RT**. The ship lurched backwards and began grinding its way off of the beach, aided by the team of Shovelers below, pushing against the bow.

It soon splashed into the water, and he began turning the bow of the ship around to the open water ahead. The ship slowly motored out to sea, and he jumped as the phone on the rear wall began buzzing.

He strode over and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Good news, Major. The fun is about to start!"

"What do you mean, Admiral?"

"Boris is nearing the planet, and it is expected to fracture into seven pieces. You will order the Chandelier and its fleet to engage the fragments at an elevation of 60 miles. They will be quite visible by then. I have the coordinates for their locations when they will reach the target altitude. Is the Chandelier ready to fire?"

"Yes, Admiral. We have left the shore of the island crash site, and all aspects of the ship are in order. All that's left is to load the XM-134K."

"Outstanding job, Komarov. I am transmitting the coordinates now. I will await the signal for the firing window, and I will pass it on to you. After you receive it, fire when ready."

"It will be done, Admiral. I am ready to return home, I have to say."

"Finish this job, and you will be back in Gracemeria in no time. Do your country proud..."

He heard a click, and he returned the phone to its cradle. A steady series of beeps resounded from one of the projections, and he hurried over to it. A list of seven coordinate triples filled the screen, followed by the appropriate vessel in the fleet they were to be sent to.

_How convenient! Seven meteor fragments! One for each vessel in the DME fleet!_

Soon after, the last bit of data, a coordinate pair, arrived. He checked the navigation readout to his left, and he was shocked. The location placed him far to the south of the island he had just departed.

He glanced back at the meteor locations and felt a shocking realization.

"I am only able to take down either fragment #4 or #6 from this position. They want me to be as far as possible from the inevitable impact of the remaining fragment, and that very fragment is going to slam into the sea directly to the east of that massive tree! I cannot let that wonderful civilization of owls be wiped out! I am going to try and stop both chunks from reaching the Azure Sea!"

Disobeying the cruel orders from the Admiral, he slammed the ship into reverse thrust and began churning back towards the tree.

While he was retracing his path, he began sending the coordinate data to each ship in the fleet. An image of each ship popped onto the floating holographic screen, along with its formal designation and coordinate data below. He counted seven images, the Chandelier on the top of the list, and six other virtual ships below it.

His navigation readout showed an unmoving dot approaching from behind. He stalled the ship and began fine tuning the positions of the seven cannons.

On the opposite side of Earth, each member of the Chandelier fleet was stationed at a certain Emmerian naval base to engage the meteor. The vacant, idling ships were seen turning their massive cannons toward their target locations, as if being controlled by ghostly pilots.

Komarov peeked out the glass window of the control room and jumped back as a bright flash burned his eyes.

He looked out, witnessing a flashing group of stars high above in the black northeastern sky. He noticed they were moving visibly across the sky, seemingly turning towards him and the tree behind him.

A more energetic signal sounded from the panel, and he saw he had a ten minute firing window. He pressed a few lights and each of the seven cannons began loading themselves.

He looked out and saw, through the gaps in the ammo rack, a large, gleaming mass. It slid up the rack and was driven into the bulbous end of the barrel.

He saw a line that read: **Loading of cannons 1-7 complete.**

He then ran his fingers across another line that read: **Charge and prime for firing?**

He clicked the yes command, and raced back to the viewing window. A bright blue glow filled the large glass and metal cylinders that encircled the base of the cannon.

Large arcs of lightning began forming inside the cylinders, and some even jumped from the cylinders to the various objects around them. The deck was filled with a web of deadly blue bolts that danced around and zapped the array of conductive steel objects around them.

The sky filled with a surreal orange glow, and the sea changed hue, from a deep black to the color of fire. He read the flashing red section that displayed:**Fire.**

He felt an ominous wave of fiery heat roll over him, causing sweat to bead on his forehead. He stabbed it with his finger, and the cannon outside let loose a concussive **BOOM **that threw Komarov to the floor.

The cannon slid abruptly back, towards the stern, on its recoil assembly. The hurtling supercharged shell left a trail of lightning in the fiery glow. Several more electric blue trails arced into the sky from various points around the horizon, converging on the flickering orange orbs high above...


	6. A New Alliance

**Chapter 6: A New Alliance**

The Guardians looked on in awe as the sky and sea were bathed in a flickering orange light. Its source lay far above, in the dispersing group of red orbs that moved through the night sky.

However, their attention was soon brought down to Earth, their eyes blinking reflexively as bright blue shapes erupted from the ship below, moving about in a crazed display. The night seemed to become day as an odd wave of heat bathed the entire island.

"Where did that come from, Soren?"

"I-I don't know, Bell. It sure does not feel welcoming..."

They felt as if they were cooking in their feathers, unable to bear the thermal onslaught that enveloped them. The entire tree seemed to shake as a dazzling burst of light, accompanied by a resounding blast of noise, split the night.

After the glare passed, a strange blue trail was left in the sky, reaching from the ship below and heading directly for the alarmingly close spheres of light above. Additional trails seemed to grow from the horizon, appearing to be heading for the spheres as well.

Another less potent flash lit up the sea, and a strange sight unfolded above. The orbs had been shattered into a glowing expanse of countless yellow trails that drifted across the sky.

"I can't believe it! Those orbs just turned into bright yellow trails, all because of those blue lines!"

"I guess the Others weren't planning on wiping us out at all. They were going to save us!"

However, one errant orb emerged from the display, coming closer and closer to the island.

"Oh, no! One of those star things made it through! It is coming right for us!"

Komarov lifted himself from the cold floor, an incessant buzzing filling his ears.

"I have to destroy that last fragment! Hurry, you clumsy cannon! Reload!"

He carefully reloaded just this one cannon and tracked the flickering orb as it drew to within 25 miles of the Azure Sea. He aimed the cannon slightly ahead and struck the fire button again.

"If this shot doesn't hit, I might as well say goodbye to this entire region..."

He braced himself against the familiar BOOM that exploded from the weapon outside. A glittering line surged for the final chunk of the malicious meteor.

A small flash revealed the cannon had hit its mark. A new collection of amber streaks drifted on with the others, and small bits of smoldering material began raining down.

It seemed to Komarov to be a gentle finale for this tumultuous night. He stared through the thick glass windows at the bouncing fragments of rock that plinked onto the deck, smoking and burning.

"I have done it. I have saved Earth. I have saved the Azure Sea. But most of all, I have saved that wonderful tree..."

He sat in exhausted silence as the fiery rain continued, a random clinking noise that was oddly comforting to him. A sudden ringing tone caused him to crawl over to the phone and lift it to his ear.

"Well done, Major. All of the necessary fragments were confirmed destroyed by our observatories. Was the impact of the remaining fragment a sight to see?"

He steeled himself against the Admiral's wrath that would follow his next words.

"No, Sir. It did not reach the surface. I destroyed it..."

"You WHAT? Did you actually stay back and attempt to destroy the last remnant? You disobeyed a direct order! What possessed you to commit such a treasonous act, Major?"

"I did not attempt to destroy it. I DID destroy it. I disobeyed your orders for a better cause, Sir. I swore to protect the hidden tree that lies on this island, and its residents. That tree holds a civilization that I believe we should discreetly study in the future, _Sir_. That is why I stayed behind. And that is all the reason you need!"

"Why you pompous fool! I will make your life a living hell when you-"

He ripped the mount from the wall, severing the cable in the process.

"Silence. My well being means nothing compared to the wonder of that tree..."

He swung the ship around and faced the bow towards the looming skeleton ahead. He spied odd shapes scattered throughout the naked branches above.

In the glare from the moon that had just began peeking over the horizon, a small contingent of winged forms sailed through the sky and alighted on the deck below.

"Now is my chance to witness first hand the residents that have lived here for eons, undisturbed by us humans..."

A short time before, as small bits of smoldering rocks began bouncing from the bodies of the owls perched in the crown of the tree, feelings of shock and joy flowed from them.

Soren turned to Otulissa and said, "Otulissa, you must write a short letter of gratitude to who or whatever has rescued us from near tragedy. I have a feeling that something is aboard that ship."

"Okay, but what if that something is dangerous?"

"We must try to make peace first, and perhaps that something will be able to understand our language..."

The Spotted Owl began scribbling rapidly on a sole sheet of parchment she had brought to document the last moments of the Guardians.

"There, I am finished. Now what?"

"We all shall fly down to that ship and search for our savior. Let's go!"

The sizable group of owls glided down from the crown of the tree, landing on the rough surface of the ship shortly after.

"What are we looking for, Soren?"

"I think we will know when we see it, Gylfie."

They wandered about aimlessly, not finding a trace of life anywhere, until a soft clang was heard from a tall steel building behind them. They whirled around to see a tall, skinny creature towering above them.

"I-I can't believe it. It's an Other..."

The group of owls shivered with awe as the featherless, two legged form drew slowly closer. He crouched down in front of them, uttering a short burst of noise.

"What is it saying? Is it trying to communicate with us?"

"I don't know, Otulissa. Try to give it your letter, and see what it does..."

She hesitantly crept towards the large figure, and stuck her foot out. It slowly slid the sheet from her talons and stared at it for several seconds. It stood up slowly, and returned to the large steel building from which it had came.

* * *

><p>Komarov returned to the control room and studied the parchment that the winged creature had given him.<p>

It read: _We are a kingdom of creatures known as owls. We have existed here for well over one thousand years. Our land is known as Ga'Hoole, and we are known as the Guardians. We have endured many bloody wars and dark times, and yet we have survived. Our king and queen, on behalf of all of the Guardians that live here, give you the deepest thanks for rescuing us. We had believed that your kind had gone extinct long ago, and yet you have not. __We believed you had come to destroy us, and instead you were our salvation. Your existence is a wonder unto itself, one that we will remember for the rest of our lives. __We now can share our discovery with the rest of the regions of our world, and show that we are not alone. We know little about the possibilities and advancements of your species, aside from the fact that you have the ability to protect yourselves from danger in ways we will possibly never be able to reciprocate. __Your choice to protect us from our certain doom has left us in great debt to your kind. We hope to one day repay that debt, if at all possible. We offer you peace, and we hope you will do the same in return. May your species continue on for many generations to come..._

_Our deepest thanks from,_

_King Soren, Queen Pelli,_

_And The Guardians Of Ga'Hoole._

"These creatures known as owls are beyond anything I could have imagined. I hope they will be able to understand our language, for I plan to write a letter in return to theirs. If it is peace they want, it is peace they shall have. I will inform them that the insight they have conveyed to me is more than enough to nullify the debt they feel they owe. Their intentions are honest, and their spirit is pure. I wish for them to endure for ages to come as well..."

He carefully reconstructed his speech upon the blank scroll of paper on the desk. He returned outside and placed the scroll at the feet of the gray-hued owl. He disappeared back inside and watched as the owls flew off into the night.

He turned the ship back out to sea and began churning his way home, announcing into the ship's intercom in a loud, clear voice, "The meteor is no more. I am taking us back to our lovely nation. Back to Emmeria..."

* * *

><p>Soren and the others returned to the crown of the Ga'Hoole Tree and listened in silence as Otulissa recited the letter as best she could.<p>

"I am in awe of the simplicity and history of you noble creatures that call yourselves the Guardians. I have nullified the debt that you feel you owe, thanks to the history you have obliged to share with me. I will persuade the rest of my species to give you the peace you have rightfully asked for, the peace you rightfully deserve. I destroyed that meteor because I felt that my life was not worth the lives of your species and your glorious home. I bid you farewell, and perhaps one day, we shall meet again. May your kind last for generations to come, just the same..."

_May Your Species Live On,_

_Major Komarov,_

_Emmerian Naval Officer_

_10 October 2174_


End file.
